• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.420-426
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• 2020

A metal oxide semiconductor gas sensor is operated by measuring the changes in resistance that occur on the surface of nanostructures for gas detection. ZnO, which is an n-type metal oxide semiconductor, is widely used as a gas sensor material owing to its high sensitivity. Various ZnO nanostructures in gas sensors have been studied with the aim of improving surface reactions. In the present study, the sol-gel and vapor phase growth techniques were used to fabricate nanostructures to improve the sensitivity, response, and recovery rate for gas sensing. The sol-gel method was used to synthesize SnO₂ nanoparticles, which were used as the seed layer. The nanoparticles size was controlled by regulating the process parameters of the solution, such as the pH of the solution, the type and amount of solvent. As a result, the SnO₂ seed layer suppressed the aggregation of the nanostructures, thereby interrupting gas diffusion. The ZnO nanostructures with a sol-gel processed SnO₂ seed layer had larger specific surface area and high sensitivity. The gas response and recovery rate were 1-7 min faster than the gas sensor without the sol-gel process. The gas response increased 4-24 times compared to that of the gas sensor without the sol-gel method.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.358-363
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• 2015

We present an excellent detection for nitrogen monoxide (NO) gas using polycrystalline ZnO wire-like films synthesized via a simple method combined with sputtering of Zn metallic films and subsequent thermal oxidation of the sputtered Zn nanowire films in dry air. Structural and morphological characterization revealed that it would be possible to synthesize polycrystalline hexagonal wurtzite ZnO films of a wire-like nanostructure with widths of 100-150 nm and lengths of several microns by controlling the sputtering conditions. It was found from the gas sensing measurements that the ZnO wire-like thin film gas sensor showed a significantly high response, with a maximum value of 29.2 for 2 ppm NO at $200^{\circ}C$, as well as a reversible fast response to NO with a very low detection limit of 50 ppb. In addition, the ZnO wire-like thin film gas sensor also displayed an NO-selective sensing response for NO, $O_2$, $H_2$, $NH_3$, and CO gases. Our results illustrate that polycrystalline ZnO wire-like thin films are potential sensing materials for the fabrication of NO-sensitive high-performance gas sensors.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2003.07b
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• pp.727-730
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• 2003

Thin tin oxide film with nano-size particle was prepared on silicon substrate by hydrothermal synthetic method and successive sol-gel spin coating method. The fabrication method of tin oxide film with ultrafine nano-size crystalline structure was tried to be applied to fabrication of micro gas sensor array on silicon substrate. The tin oxide film on silicon substrate was well patterned by chemical etching upto 5${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$width and showed very uniform flatness. The tin oxide film preparation method and patterning method were successfully applied to newly proposed 2-dimensional micro sensor fabrication.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.423-430
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• 2016

This study used a single metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) sensor to classify the major odorous gases hydrogen sulfide ($H_2S$), ammonia ($NH_3$) and toluene ($C_6H_5CH_3$). In order to classify these odorous substances, the voltage on the MOS sensor heater was gradually reduced in 0.5 V steps 5.0 V to examine the changes to the response by the cooling effect on the sensor as the voltage decreased. The hydrogen sulfide gas showed the highest sensitivity compared to odorless air under approximately 2.5 V and the ammonia and toluene gases showed the highest sensitivity under approximately 5.0 V. In other words, the hydrogen sulfide gas reacted better in the low temperature range of the MOS sensor, and the ammonia and toluene gases reacted better in the high-temperature range. In order to analyze the response characteristics of the MOS sensor by temperature in a pattern, a two-dimensional (2D) x-y pattern analysis was introduced to clearly classify the hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and toluene gases. The hydrogen sulfide gas was identified by a straight line with a slope of 1.73, whereas the ammonia gas had a slope of 0.05 and the toluene gas had a slope of 0.52. Therefore, the 2D x-y pattern analysis is suggested as a new way to classify these odorous substances.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.377-384
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• 2019

People currently spend more than 80% of their time indoors; therefore, the management of indoor air quality has become an important issue. The contamination of indoor air can cause sick house syndrome and various environmental diseases such as atopy and nephropathy. Formaldehyde gas, which is the main contaminant of indoor air, is lethal even with microscopic exposure; however, it is commonly used as an adhesive and waterproofing agent for indoor building materials. Therefore, there is a need for a gas sensor capable of detecting trace amounts of formaldehyde gas. In this review, we summarize recent studies on metal oxide-based semiconductor gas sensors for formaldehyde gas detection, methods to improve the gas-sensing properties of metal oxides of various dimensions, and the effects of catalysts for the detection of parts-per-billion level gases. Through this, we discuss the necessary characteristics of the metal oxidebased semiconductors for gas sensors for the development of next-generation sensors.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.103-109
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• 2016

Recent light-enhanced metal oxide gas sensors are reviewed in this article. The basic mechanisms of a light-enhanced metal oxide gas sensor are discussed. Many literatures reveal that the standalone sensitivity and the response/recovery time enhancements enabled by the exposing light are not as high as the performance enhancement provided by external heating. Therefore, both optimal amount of external heating and exposed light intensity are necessary to increase the performance of these light-enhanced gas sensors. The development of highly light sensitive materials and structures is important to lower the overall power consumptions of the sensors.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.178-183
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• 2016

Semiconductor gas sensors based on metal oxide are widely used in a number of applications, from health and safety to energy efficiency and emission control. Nanomaterials including nanowires, nanorods, and nanoparticles have dominated the research focus in this field owing to their large number of surface sites that facilitate surface reactions. Recently, metal oxide hollow structures using soft templates have been developed owing to their high sensing properties with large-area uniformity. Here, we provide a brief overview of metal oxide hollow structures and their gas-sensing properties from the aspects of template size, morphology, and additives. In addition, a gas-sensing mechanism and perspectives are presented.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.611-616
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• 2010

A cobalt oxide - tin oxide nanocomposite based gas sensor on an $SiO_2$ substrate was fabricated. Granular thin film of tin oxide was formed by a rheotaxial growth and thermal oxidation method using dc magnetron sputtering of Sn. Nano particles of cobalt oxide were spin-coated on the tin oxide. The cobalt oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by polymer-assisted deposition method, which is a simple cost-effective versatile synthesis method for various metal oxides. The thickness of the film can be controlled over a wide range of thicknesses. The composite structures thus formed were characterized in terms of morphology and gas sensing properties for reduction gas of $H_2$. The composites showed a highest response of 240% at $250^{\circ}C$ upon exposure to 4% $H_2$. This response is higher than those observed in pure $SnO_2$ (90%) and $Co_3O_4$ (70%) thin films. The improved response with the composite structure may be related to the additional formation of electrically active defects at the interfaces. The composite sensor shows a very fast response and good reproducibility.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2018

Gas sensors based on metal oxide semiconductors are used in numerous applications including monitoring indoor air quality and detecting harmful substances like volatile organic compounds. Nanostructures, for example, nanoparticles, nanotubes, nanodomes, and nanofibers have been widely utilized to improve gas sensing properties of metal oxide semiconductors, and this increases the effective surface area, resulting in participation of more target gas molecules in the surface reaction. In the recent times, 1-dimensional (1D) metal oxide nanostructures fabricated using anodic oxidation have attracted great attention due to their high surface-to-volume ratio with large-area uniformity, reproducibility, and capability of synthesis under ambient air and pressure, leading to cost-effectiveness. Here, we provide a brief overview of 1D metal oxide nanostructures fabricated by anodic oxidation and their gas sensing properties. In addition, recent progress on thin film-based anodic oxidation for application in gas sensors is introduced.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.623-627
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• 2010

Semiconducting metal oxides have been frequently used as gas sensing materials. While zinc oxide is a popular material for such applications, structures such as nanowires, nanorods and nanotubes, due to their large surface area, are natural candidates for use as gas sensors of higher sensitivity. The compound ZnO has been studied, due to its chemical and thermal stability, for use as an n-type semiconducting gas sensor. ZnO has a large exciton binding energy and a large bandgap energy at room temperature. Also, ZnO is sensitive to toxic and combustible gases. The NO gas properties of zinc oxide-single wall carbon nanotube (ZnO-SWCNT) composites were investigated. Fabrication includes the deposition of porous SWCNTs on thermally oxidized $SiO_2$ substrates followed by sputter deposition of Zn and thermal oxidation at $400^{\circ}C$ in oxygen. The Zn films were controlled to 50 nm thicknesses. The effects of microstructure and gas sensing properties were studied for process optimization through comparison of ZnO-SWCNT composites with ZnO film. The basic sensor response behavior to 10 ppm NO gas were checked at different operation temperatures in the range of $150-300^{\circ}C$. The highest sensor responses were observed at $300^{\circ}C$ in ZnO film and $250^{\circ}C$ in ZnO-SWCNT composites. The ZnO-SWCNT composite sensor showed a sensor response (~1300%) five times higher than that of pure ZnO thin film sensors at an operation temperature of $250^{\circ}C$.